ED hands Chasi a live snake, analysts

Newly appointed Minister of Energy and Power Development Fortune Chasi

Analysts say last night’s appointment of Advocate Fortune Chasi as the new Minister of energy and Power Development will have an effect on the somewhat energetic and productive Mazowe South Member of Parliament.

Chasi who served as deputy minister in the transport ministry, was promoted to the top job as Joram Gumbo, who many believe to be a docile member in president Emmerson Mnangagwa’s cabinet, was reassigned to the Office of the President and will be in charge of monitoring and implementation programs.

With the current economic environment characterized by fuel and power shortages as the most economic growth determinants, the ministry of energy and power development has been under the spotlight for at least a year in a post-Robert Mugabe era.

Analysts have quickly jumped to say Mnangagwa has set Chasi a snare to fail since the fuel problem root back to the central bank where Reserve Bank Governor, Dr John Mangudya and the alleged foreign currency cartel featuring Sakunda boss, Kudakwashe Tagwireyi remain in control of fuel procurement and distribution with no one daring to challenge their monopoly on the most after sought gem.

The United Kingdom-based academic lawyer Alex Tawanda Magaisa described Chasi’s elevation to the energy ministry, although deservedly, like being given a live snake gift which might be difficult for the lawyer to take care of.

“Mukanya @fortunechasi has shown himself to be a level-headed and engaging performer. But by all accounts, he has been handed a live snake. If he can tame it, his stock will surely rise. Best wishes, counsel,” Magaisa wrote on his micro-blog Twitter late Tuesday.

Renowned journalist-cum-government critic, Mduduzi Mathuthu subscribed to Magaisa’s viewpoint saying Chasi’s career has been shaping up very well but is now under threat charging that President Mnangagwa has set him up to fail.

“One way of destroying a man’s promising career is setting them up to fail. The problem is not who’s the minister of what, the entire system is incapable of rescuing this situation… They sat with Gumbo every Tuesday around a table. His actions were their plan,” Mathuthu wrote on his Twitter account yesterday.

Outspoken Norton legislator Temba Mliswa thumped up Chasi’s promotion with reservations saying the advocate would excel in the justice ministry pleading with Mnangagwa to reshuffle the whole cabinet charging that some ministers have failed to justify their appointments since last year.

“Mnangagwa may as well reshuffle the whole Cabinet once and for all as there are many who were given opportunities but aren’t doing anything. There must be a traction and a three month probation period is good,” he said.

Exiled former cabinet minister, Professor Jonathan Moyo is among economic commentators who hold that Chasi’s appointment to the energy ministry will not improve fuel situation in the country unless the central bank address the foreign currency shortages.263 Chat